


Shielded Anguish

by Canadian_BuckBeaver



Category: Underfell - Fandom, Undertail - Fandom, Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underfell, Break Up, Break Up Talk, Broken Heart, Cheating, Established Relationship, Fellcest - Freeform, Fontcest, How Do I Tag, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Incest, M/M, Post-Break Up, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route, Sibling Incest, The Underground (Undertale), Underfell Flowey, Underfell Grillby, Underfell Mettaton, Underfell Papyrus, Underfell Sans, Undertale Monsters on the Surface, papyton, sansby - Freeform, sfw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-03-01 02:56:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13285488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Canadian_BuckBeaver/pseuds/Canadian_BuckBeaver
Summary: Sans and brother had been dating for a little while now when Sans is suddenly hit with the news that Papyrus has been cheating on him.  And not just with anyone.  Papyrus has been cheating on him with the one and only Mettaton, star of Underfell.  Perhaps Grillby can help mend his broken heart?





	Shielded Anguish

Sans remembered the exact moment when his soul broke.

Only figuratively of course.  Fellverse and Papyrus did not take kindly to displays of weakness or feelings.

“I don’t love you anymore.” Papyrus told him, his eyes on him.  Steady, without concern for him.  This wasn’t his brother Papyrus, the one who had looked at him with such joy and wonder, nor was this the gaze of his lover, the one who had looked at him with lust.  No, these were the eyes of the Royal Guardsman.  The one who was watching for a reaction.  One who was prepared to intervene to keep the peace and protect others.

Sans’ eyes fell from the skull and instead locked with his brother’s red high, heeled boots.  The ones that made him looked “distinguished and respected”, giving him a height that rivalled Asgore’s.  During happier days they had picked them out together, once upon a time.  They had cost a small fortune too, leather was hard to find in UnderFell.  But Sans hadn’t minded the cost.  Nothing but the best for Papyrus, wasn’t that what he had always said?

Though, he supposed that at one point he had thought that that had included him too.

His hands clenched into shaking fists as he fought to control himself.  Of course he wasn’t, who was he kidding?  The years of giving up everything for his beloved brother had taken their toll on him.  Where Papyrus was tall and built, he was short and stout, covered with cracks and chips.  His bones were yellowed due to malnutrition and the abuse that he had suffered at the hands of Gaster.  His mere one HP made him a constant target at best, or unstable at his very worst.  The control he had over his magic was always feeble, and he was nothing much to look at with his cracked skull and golden fang.  He was just another Fell monster, fading into the background of the dreary environment.

Papyrus… he stood out from the other monsters.  His bones gleamed with pristine health and his curves, only the rare faded scar discolouring them and the dust of his enemies only clung to them for so long.  The red magic hummed solidly through his entire body radiating strength.  He was strong and capable, a loud mouth with the muscle to back it up. Perhaps that is what drew Sans to him in the first place. That anyone, anyone who was lucky to have him would be protected and be well looked after. 

Sans had thought himself that lucky one.  But, as with most of his life, he was wrong.

He had ignored the signs, believed all that stereotypical garbage. Papyrus was working late, he had sensitive information that he was hiding on his phone, his armour was dirty due to his work… the list went on. But, as a Royal Guardsman, it had made sense.  He had sensitive missions to do, classified information to hold onto. And Sans hadn’t suspected a thing. How he cursed himself now! He should have known!

But he hasn’t expected that Papyrus and Mettaton would take advantage of that.

Mettaton was everything that Sans wasn’t. He was strong and powerful, both tall and thin, popular and gorgeous. Papyrus had looked up to the robot singer ever since Sans could remember, since he was a baby bones. Sans had thought it an innocent crush. That Papyrus would consider that they were the real deal…

But of course Papyrus would jump all over the chance to have the robot to himself, even if it meant hurting Sans in the process.  After all, He was the Great and Terrible Papyrus.  He could do better in a partner. Sans was seeing someone who was out of his league. He should be grateful that Papyrus even looked at him… it was Sans who could do no better.

Papyrus was still staring at Sans, still waiting for his reaction.  This wasn’t an act of pity or apology though.  The only thing that Papyrus was worried about was Sans causing a scene or starting a fight.  Something that might tarnish his reputation or put himself at risk for being harmed.

Sans sighed slightly, falling back into the painful present. Right – the Break Up was still occurring. He allowed his shoulders to fall, to sag more than usual, but he did not allow his tears to fall. That would be too much. Papyrus hated every and any sign of weakness. But that’s what Sans was. Weak and useless.  “I thought you loved me.” He said instead, letting his voice become hollow, indifferent.  Like he was talking about the weather.

Throw up the shields. Don’t allow them to hurt you any longer.  Don’t give them any ammunition.

“I did at one point. But I’ve found someone who better capable of meeting my high standards.” The tall skeleton said, driving the imaginary bone deeper into Sans' soul. He wouldn’t care about hurting Sans more than he already have. He simply didn’t care.

Even Sans could see it was a lost cause. He had lost his brother, his lover… why attempt to force him to stay with someone that he wasn’t happy with?  It wouldn’t fix anything, nor would it keep them happy.  For all Sans knew, Papyrus and Mettaton would continue to see each other behind his back. He was only slowing Papyrus down, keeping him from his goals.

He couldn’t be greedy.

His brother needed to be happy.

Papyrus deserved to be happy.

“Well. As long as you’re happy, little bro, I’m happy for you.” Sans said, putting on his sharp toothed, lazy grin. Disguise the pain. Minimize the target.

“Thank you brother, I am.”

  
Out of curtsey for this brother, Sans decided to move out of the house that they had shared.  Or, that was what he had told him anyways.  It was simply too hard for him to walk around the house, reliving old memories, day dreaming about better times, or seeing them be overwritten by Mettaton.

Of course he hadn’t necessarily found a place to live… but his sentry station could be closed up and used as shelter. He would just have to deal with seeing his brother on his rounds. And deal with the rest of the monsters truing to attack him while he slept.

Luckily there was one place that he was safe…

There was a sharp kick to his bar stool, jolting Sans from his mustard-induced haze. Grillby, The purple flame bartender, stood over him, scowling. “Wake up.” He snapped, for a moment sounding exactly like Papyrus.  Sans stared at him for a second before looking around the bar.  All cleaned out. Once again, he was the last one to leave.

“You know Sans, it wouldn’t kill you to keep better track of the time… and how much mustard you drink.” Grillby said. The words were harsh but Sans saw a flash of something else in his eyes.  Worry.  Pity.

How he hated that look.

“Come on Grillby. We both know that you’re better at keeping tabs on it than I am.” Sans feebly joked, trying to change the expression to anything else.  Amusement?  Annoyance? Anything to distract Grillby from the worry that he caused. It had worked with his brother.  Papyrus always exploded, making him forget the “unimportant details”.

It didn’t work for Grillby.

“Cut the shit, Sans.  We all know that Papyrus is with MTT and that your incestuous relationship has finally come to an end.” Grillby folded his arms, glaring at the skeleton. “We all know that you’re hurting.”

Sans was shocked. He had thought that he and Papyrus had his their relationship fairly well from everyone else.  Papyrus continued to curse him out and drag him home by his hood as Sans would spill puns and cheap jokes.  But even then…

“What does it matter?” He asked, hiding his face in his arms. “He’s happy. That s all that counts.”

“What about your happiness?” Grillby demanded.

Sans shrugged. “probably in the bottom of a mustard bottle.” He said mournfully. “He was my life, Grillby…”

“And he crumpled you up, and threw you away.  This is pathetic Sans.  Wake up.” Grillby slammed his arms down in front of Sans, causing the skeleton to startle.  “That innocent baby brother of yours is gone.  Somehow, without you noticing, he was replaced by a calculating, son of a bitch.  He only used you for his own gain and needs…”

“And I loved him!” Sans yelled back.  “Fuck, I still love him…!”

“Which is something that he doesn’t deserve or need.”  Grillby said. “He wants Mettaton. Not you. After all you gave him, after all you did for him, all he saw you was a ladder rung. And you enabled him.  This is your fault!”

Sans was stunned. Usually the bartender would offer something of a passive, sympathetic or a listening ear, as much as one could be provided in UnderFell.  This passionate side, how he was trying to kick Sans into action…

Well it was kind of hot.

“Now you listen here, and you listen good.” Grillby said, settling beside Sans.  “You put that bastard first, ahead of you, for far too long.  It's time you started looking after yourself, and not just with mustard.” The bartender told him, shaking the empty bottle as proof. “Now, I have the foolproof plan of getting over your ex, but it is going to be a lot of hard work, a few tears, and it isn’t instantaneous…”

Sans grinned, deciding he liked this take charge version. “I'm in.” He said, causing Grillby to startle slightly and stare at him.  “Now do you have a better place to sleep?  My station is a little too open for my liking…”

   
After the Break Up, Sans found that things, once again, returned to more or less normal.  Or his version of normal anyways.

He spent his days between his jobs at the hot dog station and at his sentry station, he spent his lunches at Grillby’s, laughing and joking with his regulars, getting into fights when it got rowdy.

Only now, in the evening, he didn’t return to the old home that he used to share with his brother, nor did he stay at his sentry post.  He slept above the bar, sharing Grillby’s apartment.  He first on the couch, but, as Grillby and him eventually became closer, he eventually slept in the same bed as the bartender, the purple arm thrown possessively over him as they slept.

Sans couldn’t remember the last time that he had gotten such good sleep.  Free of nightmares, free of the screaming, free from any dust covered child, slowly making its way through the Underground…

When Frisk eventually fell again from the Surface, to the Underground, Sans had first been skeptical, weary of the human.  The seventh soul with the power to reset… how many times had they met each other and danced the same little routine?  Countless.  This one was different though.  With the help of Flowey, Frisk finally released the monsters from their Underground prison, returning them to the Surface.  As they watched the sun slowly rise from Mount Ebott, Papyrus had been loudly proclaiming his opinion on the sun’s beauty.  Sans, first the first time, had paid him no mind, even ignoring him.  Instead, he was leaning up against Grillby, noting how the sun’s rays paled in comparison to the flame monster.

It took more than a few days and months to get everyone settled into their new life.  Even with Frisk as their ambassador, humans were still wary of monsters.  They were scared of their magical abilities, their sharp teeth, their angry, red eyes, the list went on.  However, what the humans were mostly scared for was that there would be some monsters who would try and take revenge for being sealed away.  During this time of unease that Grillby and Sans constructed a new bar for the Surface, one similar to what Grillby had below.  They were determined to keep everything as normal as possible for both themselves and their fellow patrons.  A smooth transition from Underground to Surface.

It was easier to buy groceries, Sans had to admit the one day.  He was clutching his basket with one hand, double-checking the list that Grillby had given him in the other.  The ingredients were fresher and of better quality…

There was a delicate cough behind him.

Without looking behind him, Sans simply stepped out of the way of the display, assuming it was someone trying to get by.  It was the soft “Sans,” that caught his attention.

It was Papyrus.  He looked how he always did.  Tall, strong and intimidating, but this time there was something soft emitting from his eye lights.  Some sort of warmth.

“Sans,” he said again, “Sans, how are you?  I haven’t seen you since we were all released.” He smiled, actually smiled, at his brother.  There was no calculating gleam, no knowing smirk… perhaps they were all growing up.

“Heya bro,” Sans told him.  “I’m doing swell.”  He gestured to his basket.  “Just picking up some odds-and-ends for the bar.  How are you?”

Papyrus ignored the question.  “Are the rumours true?  Are you really dating that fire monster?” he asked, his voice slightly hardening to a pitch that was almost similar to his commanding one.

There was no hesitation on Sans’ end.  Perhaps it would have been different if they were all still living below the Surface, but…  “Yep.  Grillby and I are together.” he said, smiling as he said it. 

As he watched, Papyrus’ face changed.  Gone was the concerned, questioning expression.  Instead the cheeks changed to a pale pink, and there was the slightest motion of gritting teeth.  “Why?” he asked.  “Why are you two together?”

“Same reason you and Mettaton are together bro,” he replied, now carefully watching him.  “Because we want to be.  Now, if you excuse me…” he said, starting to push by Papyrus.

“Mettaton and I are no longer together.” Papyrus said.  Sans froze in place.  “He cheated on me while on tour, so we decided it was best if we went our separate ways.”

Sans turned back to Papyrus, scanning him carefully.  Sans knew Papyrus better than anyone, especially better than that damn robot.  Yet, h didn’t notice any of his usual signs of lying.  There was no sparkle to his eye, no smug look.  If Sans had to guess, he and Mettaton really had broken up.  “I’m sorry to hear that bro.  But, you know what they say, there is other fish in the sea.”  He smiled again.  “It was nice to see you, but I should get going.  Grillby is expecting these soon.  We still have to prepare before the dinner rush.”

Continuing down the aisle, he heard the sound of heel highs following him.  Papyrus.  He turned back to his brother, about to make a joke of them meeting in a different part of the store when Papyrus cut him off.  “Sans, I know I messed up when I dumped you for Mettaton.”

Papyrus continued to talk but Sans was no longer listening to him.  He was like a broken record player, stuck on the first sentence.  Well.  That was about half of an admission.  He wasn’t apologizing for cheating on him, just for letting him go.  Sans was already unamused.

“… so that’s why you should come back to me.”  Papyrus concluded, finally wrapping up his big speech.

Sans stared at him in disbelief.  Finally, what Grillby said about him being a self-centred, egotistical jerk and a total bastard were finally making sense.  Sans was finally seeing it for his own…

Papyrus was looking at him expectantly, waiting for his answer.  Sans wanted to roll his eye lights.  After everything that had happened between them, Papyrus just expected Sans to come back when he called?  Leaping into his arms like a lost or kicked puppy?

That was the problem, Papyrus did.

“No.”  Sans simply said, returning his attention to his shopping.  There was a very unattractive sputtering noise and Sans resisted the urge to turn around or even snort.  Grillby was counting on these groceries.

“But why?”  Papyrus asked him, still following him around the store.  “Why won’t you come back to me?  I can protect you and feed you, I can look after you.”

Sans turned back, once more to Papyrus.  “Because I don’t need you anymore.” He said.  Picking up the last can he needed, he left his brother standing there in disbelief.

Sans could feel a real smile tugging at his jaw.  Gone was the lazy, shielding smile.  Now he was no longer scared to wear a relaxed, truly happy smile…

And it felt good.


End file.
